


That one summer

by JonJackTheBoi



Series: BokuAka Week 2020! [5]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: BokuAka Week 2020, Childhood Friends AU, First Meetings, Fluff, Gen, Happy Ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-07
Updated: 2020-08-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:21:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25758757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JonJackTheBoi/pseuds/JonJackTheBoi
Summary: Day 6!Prompt-Alternate first meeting AUBokuto meets a boy in the park when he's eight years old.
Relationships: Akaashi Keiji & Bokuto Koutarou
Series: BokuAka Week 2020! [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1858915
Kudos: 14
Collections: Bokuaka Week 2020





	That one summer

**Author's Note:**

> Don't have much to say for this one except that it was also beta-d by niftyturtle32 and I'm sorry that its late! I hope you enjoy and that its ok!

Bokuto had three incredibly vivid memories from his childhood.  
Having a stuffed owl (The toy that would later inspire his iconic hair)  
The car his family used to have  
His best friend.  
The last one was one that still crossed his mind from time to time.

He’s eight years old, in the park near his house, playing with his volleyball. It's warm, the beginning of summer, and there are other kids running around and playing. Bokuto hits a serve and watches as it flies over the net. He notices it heading towards a small child, not more than a year or two old, sitting in a sandbox. His stomach drops. Before he can do anything, a boy moves in and neatly receives the ball, sending it back over. It hits the ground about five feet from Bokuto before rolling off.  
“You should be more careful.” The boy says simply as he tilts his head and looks at Bokuto. He’s probably about the same age as Bokuto, with similar dark hair, though just a little shorter.  
“That was so cool!” Is the first thing out of Bokuto’s mouth. “Thank you so much.” Follows it up immediately, and the boy smiles a little.  
“You’re welcome.”  
“Do you play volleyball too?” He asks excitedly, and the other boy nods. “Awesome! Do you have a position yet?”  
“I’m going to be a setter.” the boy responds, and Bokuto grins at him as they both approach the net to talk easier.  
“Hey, I’m gonna be a spiker!” He says. “I’m Bokuto Koutarou, what’s your name?”  
“Akaashi Keiji.”   
“We should practice together! Since you’re a setter and I’m a spiker.” Bokuto says happily. Akaashi smiles a little.  
“How would we do that without a ball?” he asks. Bokuto blinks a few times. Then remembers he never did pick the ball up after Akaashi received it. He turns and looks around, only to find the ball nowhere in sight, before he starts pouting.  
“I can’t believe I lost it! My parents are gonna be so mad and I can’t even practice now.” He complains.  
“I can help you look for it.” Akaashi says simply. Bokuto perks up a bit.  
‘Really, you’d do that?” Akaashi nods. “Wow, thanks! You’re the best, Akaashi!” He says, even though Akaashi winces at the butchered pronunciation of his name. They search for the ball for what feels like hours (Though, looking back, it was probably a half hour or less) before hearing Akaashi’s parents.  
“Alright Keiji, I think we need to get going.” His mother says, he sighs.  
“Ok.” He says, but looks at Bokuto.  
“Aww, you have to go home now?” He asks sadly. Akaashi nods.  
“But, I come to this park a lot...maybe I’ll see you again?” He says.  
“Yeah! I come here a lot too! I’ll make sure to bring a ball so we can practice next time we see each other!” He says with a grin as Akaashi walks back over to his parents. He smiles a little.  
“That sounds fun, Bokuto-san.” He responds.  
“Alright sweetie, say goodbye to your friend.” Akaashi’s father says absently as he digs through a bag.  
“Goodbye, Bokuto-san. I’ll see you soon.” He says.  
“Bye Akaashi!” Bokuto calls after him as he walks away.  
Over that summer Bokuto learned that Akaashi was actually a year younger than him and Akaashi learned Bokuto liked owls, among other things they learned about each other. They practiced together for hours every week, and went to each other's houses when they needed a break or some water or a snack. They even talked about trying to go to the same middle school so that they could play together, even if it would only be for two years. They had only known each other for about three months, but it felt like so much longer. Then, one morning when Bokuto walked into the kitchen, his parents were sitting at the table across from each other, papers spread out in front of them. And they looked sad and angry and Bokuto suddenly really wished he was still in bed. But then his mom caught sight of him, and her expression softened.  
“Hey honey, c’mere a second?” She asked, opening her arms. Bokuto approached, and she lifted him into her lap. She cleared her throat. “So, uh...we’re going to be moving soon, sweetie, just me and you.” She said, and Bokuto’s stomach sank.  
“Why?” He asked. “I like it here! I like my team and the park and the house and my school and dad and Akaashi.” He said, feeling tears well up in his eyes as his mother hugged him. “I don’t want to leave.” He managed, but it was small.  
“I know, I don’t either.” She whispered into the top of his head as she kissed it. (Looking back, his parents divorce had been easy to predict, he just didn’t pay attention to the right things) And so, with only a very limited explanation to Bokuto as to why, he was all of a sudden moving to Tokyo. And he was leaving in a week. That afternoon, he waited for Akaashi in the park, but he never showed up. In fact, Akaashi didn’t show up again all that week, and Bokuto even checked his house, leaving an almost crying Bokuto sitting on his front step as the moving van got loaded up. He knew he had to do something, so he went inside and grabbed a piece of paper and a pencil. He scribbled out a note telling Akaashi his new address and shoved it in a plastic bag. He grabbed his volleyball before sprinting out, one last time. And so, he left his volleyball, his name written on it in a sharpie, a note in a plastic bag taped to it, FOR AKAASHI written across it, under Akaashi’s front porch. In the place they always said would be best for secret messages. He trudged back to his house, hugged his father goodbye, and got into the moving van. And for once, a car trip with Bokuto was quiet.  
After a few months passed, Bokuto stopped wondering if he’d see Akaashi again. He never forgot him, though.   
And then Bokuto was sixteen years old and about to start his second year of high school. Right now, setting up for a special beginning of the year practice for volleyball club with some of his friends. It was a practice they had every year, so that the new members (Since virtually all of them were there on volleyball scholarships) could meet the team and have a practice before the season started, to help them know what to expect for the coming years. Him and his friends were excitedly chatting about no longer being the youngest or newest team members as they set up the nets and got everything ready, before their coach got their attention.  
“Alright guys, that's good enough. Come line up over here with the third years.” He called. Everyone scrambled to line up quickly and raptly watched the small group of people that the assistant coach was talking to by the door. A few moments later, the new members began walking over, and Bokuto looked them over excitedly, trying to guess what their positions would be.  
‘Oh, I bet he’s a libero...' he thouht. "hm, that one looks like a middle blocker, he looks like-’ And then Bokuto’s brain short circuited. Because right there, like ten feet in front of him, after almost eight years, was-  
“Akaashi!?” Bokuto blurted out loudly before he could stop himself, pronouncing Akaashi’s name the way he had when he was eight. The boy he assumed was Akaashi’s eyes widened, just a hint.  
“Bokuto-san?” He asked. Bokuto nodded vigorously, breaking into a huge grin as he went to say something else, but was cut off by the coach.  
“Alright, introductions!” He called, and all the players announced their names and positions. Then they were quickly starting warmups before Bokuto had a chance to say anything else to Akaashi since they were put into different groups. He finally got a chance to talk to him about a half hour later, when they went on a water break. He took his bottle and nearly sprinted over to Akaashi, hardly able to believe he was really here.  
“I can’t believe it’s you!” He said happily. “Did you find my volleyball?” He asked quickly. It was something he’d always wondered, if Akaashi had the volleyball, or if it had been taken by someone else, or just got destroyed. But Akaashi tilted his head.  
“Of course.” He said, amusement flickering in his eyes as Bokuto grinned. “I’m sorry I wasn’t able to say goodbye.” He said, glancing down.  
“Then it’s a good thing you’re here. It means you didn’t need to say goodbye!” Bokuto said. Akaashi gave a small smile.  
“I suppose you’re right.”  
“Ok everyone, liberos over to that side, hitters and setters over here, two lines!” The coach called. Bokuto grinned at Akaashi.  
“Hey Akaashi,” He started, making sure to butcher the pronunciation, and feeling a swell of fondness as Akaashi rolled his eyes at it. “Wanna practice with me?” He asked as they set their water bottles down and headed towards the indicated side. Akaashi’s small smile only grew as they stepped onto the court together.  
“That sounds fun, Bokuto-san.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Any comments/Kudos are always appreciated!  
> (Also, day sevens should still be going up in just a few hours, hopefully)


End file.
